The Waterfall and Agile methods of project management are often pitted against each other. And for good reason – the former is the oldest and the latter the most popular in recent times. The two methods are based on significantly different ideologies and have found their niche across industries. For the longest time, the Waterfall method was ubiquitous due to its simplicity and common-sense approach to working on a problem. However, this method has fallen short in today’s dynamic marketplace owing to its lack of flexibility and speed. This is true, especially in the software industry where requirements change rapidly and a turn-around time of several months will simply not cut it. The Waterfall Method In this method, a project is divided into distinct phases which are executed sequentially, with each phase cascading into and informing the next. Each phase begins only after the previous one is completed and the deliverable is deployed to the end-user in its entirety only in the final phase of the project. A Waterfall project typically goes through the phases (in sequence) of conception, initiation, analysis, design, construction/implementation, testing/verification, deployment and maintenance. Generally, there is stakeholder involvement mainly in the initial phases and at predetermined stop points (phase gates) when certain milestones are achieved. Agile Methods The Agile approach advocates that a project’s deliverable be broken up into small, easily workable chunks (typically epics and user stories) to be worked on and delivered iteratively (in sprints or iterations). The team works on one iteration/sprint at a time, at the end of which the customer is given a working piece of software or a deliverable of value.

Why The Waterfall Model Failed

The Waterfall Modelwas a very early process introduced as a very easy to understand way to develop software. When using the waterfall model, each phase must be completed fully before the next phase can begin. This type of model is basically used for a project which is small and there are no uncertain requirements. At the end of each phase, a review takes place to determine if the project is on…